Islamist militants staged separate attacks on a passenger ferry and a military camp in northern Mali on Thursday, the government said, killing dozens of civilians and soldiers in a region of the West African nation that is increasingly controlled by armed groups. At least 49 civilians and 15 soldiers were killed in the attacks, and the army killed about 50 assailants, the government said in a statement. The attacks were carried out by an affiliate of Al Qaeda, according to the Malian government. They came as Islamist groups have strengthened their grip on northern Mali, including by imposing a blockade on Timbuktu, a fabled site of Islamic influence in the 15th and 16th centuries that is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At least 33,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of the blockade in mid-August, according to the United Nations.
